


There for you!

by pedalprince



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-19
Updated: 2014-10-19
Packaged: 2018-02-21 19:54:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2480456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pedalprince/pseuds/pedalprince
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Ai faces a dilemma, the other swimmers are called! Will they be able to help him out?!</p>
            </blockquote>





	There for you!

_Ring._

The cash register popped its drawer open with a small clank, and Matsuoka Rin extended a hand to accept the change. It was sunset, and he felt himself glance outside despite himself to watch the sky color and turn to dark. When he dropped the coins in his pocket and swung the bags over the counter, the door opened for him, and he slipped out silently to the street. The neon glow of the sign to his left was the only light for about a mile - the street lights started in the normal residential area, but Rin would be headed in the opposite direction towards the dorms, where he could only see little beams of white light from the gate.

He frowned and opened his phone up to check for messages, since he didn’t really care about when he would return.  _No school today_ , he thought to himself. The water nearby was calm, and the stars would come out to greet anyone who decided to look up. He figured he’d wait for that for once and sit down with the food he had just bought, staring off into space. Not thinking sounded like a viable option.

**_1 message. Ai, 19:27 pm. Delivered._ **

_"Senpai!_

_We’re looking for you! Let us know where you’ve gone ASAP please!_

_ヽ(‘ ∇‘ )ノ”  
_

Rin snorted and set the bag down at his feet, pointedly ignoring the creeped out look from the cashier back inside the store.

_"I’m in front of the convenience store. Is something going on ?"_

**_1 message. Ai, 19:34 pm. Delivered._ **

_"Yes, well, someone cut my hair while I was asleep… ＼（Ｔ∇Ｔ）／_

_I don’t know what to do anymore! No one is telling me who did it either!!!!! (´∩｀。) SOS!”_

Rin couldn’t stop himself from bursting into peals of laughter. It grew louder, and he doubled over, trying to regain his normal breathing as the cashier stepped out and asked him to leave. She began shooing him away with her broken broom and snapped at him colorfully until he was a good distance from the store. He’d forgotten one of his bags on the ground, but he figured it wasn’t worth a dirty broom to the face and kept walking.

**_1 message. Ai, 19:36 pm. Delivered._ **

_"Don’t accidentally fall asleep in the dorm hallway, senpai_

_Ever. (╥_╥)”_

"How did you even do that?!" Rin muttered under his breath, rolling his eyes. "Be more careful, Ai!"

As he entered the dorms and gave a small wave to the receptionist, he ran towards his room door and opened it cautiously. Momotaro and Sousuke were sitting in the desk chair and on the floor by the window, respectively. Ai was huddled under a mass of blankets, the light of his phone the only signal he was present in the pile.

"Ai…?  _Do you guys know anything about his haircut?_ " Rin snapped, folding his arms. His two teammates’ heads shot up in surprise, since they were watching Ai with the intent of seeing him pop out again.

"It was some of the new first years, Rin. We don’t know who yet. We have to ask at practice tomorrow, since it’s really not ok, but he’s been hiding here since. We’ve been trying to draw him out and warding away anyone who wants to know what’s happening." Sousuke answered, shrugging.

"I wanna see his new hair." Momotaro said dejectedly, resting his head and arms on the back of the chair and stretching his legs out.

"Now, now." Rin said, sighing. "I’ll take care of whoever did this later, but for right now, Ai, it’s a hair cut. You have to come out eventually, it’s not going to magically grow back in 10 minutes…"

Ai cried out from under the sheets, pulling them tighter. “Yes, senpai, I’m aware of that! That’s exactly why I’m not moving!”

"It can’t be that bad! Maybe a new look is good for—" Rin felt himself stop where he was as Ai rose from the blankets and ruffled his own hair back into place. His choppy front bangs were gone, and his hair was more that of an atypical teenage boy. His bangs were swept off to the side if they did remain, and he stared down at Rin in misery.

"Se-e…" He croaked, on the verge of tears.

Sousuke and Momotaro stood and went to both sides of Rin, marvelling at the sight in shocked silence.

"It…it looks really good, actually!"

"No kidding!"

Rin didn’t add to the clamor. He climbed the ladder and propped himself, crouched down, next to Ai. He smiled and ruffled his kohai’s hair casually. “You look great, if you ask me. Maybe your kohais wanted to see you try something new.”

"But it’s so different from before…I don’t know…" Ai sniffled, looking down at his hands.

Rin grabbed his shoulders and stared him in the eye. “With your hair then or now, you’re still Nitori Aiichirou, second year swimmer on Samezuka’s swim team and our teammate, right?”

Ai stared back in surprise, processing what he had said for a moment. “Y…yeah…”

"Yeah. So if you want to know, I think it looks nice on you even if it wasn’t on purpose. Still swim and walk with pride! You’re still you! Don’t let this get to you, okay? Change can sometimes be a good thing." Rin said loudly, eyes unwavering.

Sousuke and Momotaro smiled at each other and then looked back up at the duo sitting on the bunk bed, and all four of them gave each other looks before cracking up in hysterics. They shared what food Rin had brought with him earlier in the evening and chatted until they collectively fell asleep exactly where they had been sitting.

Ai dozed off with a small smile and his phone in his hand, dangling off the edge of the mattress.

**_1 message. Ai, 20:40 pm. Delivered._ **

_"Thank you for being there for me today! I’ll swim with confidence and beside you for sure always! I promise! Watch out for me, then!_

_☆*･゜ﾟ･*\\(^O^)/*･゜ﾟ･*☆ - Ai”_


End file.
